Video of Tedx Talk in Berlin (November 2009)

Overview: In this talk, Bernard explains that the current banking crisis is a structural crisis which requires a systemic solution. Studies have shown that a natural ecosystem’s ability to thrive and flourish critically depends on its having the right balance between two key variables: efficiency and resilience. This appears to be equally true for socio-economic systems. Our monoculture approach to currencies may be very efficient, but it is not resilient and can crash easily. And it has done so many times. The study of national ecosystems also shows that diversity is a key factor of resilience. And that is as true of our socio-economic systems as it is of our natural ecosystems. The structural solution to our current crisis is to adopt a diversity of complementary currencies, i.e. currencies that circulate in parallel to national money, and that help connect untapped resources and unmet needs when national currencies fail to do so. These complementary currencies can be started on any scale with great benefits and can play a very important role in helping to prevent unemployment.